Social Media: Location Based Programs

Location based programs are a great new alternative to traditional marketing strategies. This article introduces location based programs – what they are and how they work – and relates them to marketing.

There are many different location based programs; Foursquare, Facebook and Gowalla are just a few of the many programs that exist right now. These programs are very unique in the fact that you can “check-in” to many different locations, events, or even TV shows. The purpose of these programs is to drive traffic to locations. “Users are often rewarded for check-ins with discounts or deals that pop up when they're at a certain location or nearby. Location-based apps are also means for users to discover new restaurants, retailers or activities -- or simply to just brag to your friends about the cool places you go.”

In relation to marketing, you have the option to either build your own application or you can just use a broader, better-developed platform like Facebook. Both of these options have their benefits. With your own loyalty application, you can offer rewards for check-ins, however, you won’t have as big of an audience. When you use a larger program like Facebook or Foursquare, there are already a lot of people using these services. Tapping into this resource will allow a larger variety of people to know about your company’s goods or services. Specialized location based applications are also becoming increasingly popular. Gowalla targets travelers, Foodspotting is aimed to foodies who are looking for new food to try, and there are even grocery shopping applications.

While it sounds like the consumers are the only ones who benefit from these programs, marketers are also benefitted. These programs drive traffic into stores, and they can also provide demographic data about user check-ins. This allows businesses to know when they have the most traffic, and who comes in most often – Foursquare launched a dashboard and analytics tool for businesses last year for this very reason.

While location based programs can track demographics and usage, they also help to drive the word of mouth and referrals that a company may receive.  This article provides 17 tips for utilizing location based programs and marketing. Some of my favorite tips, and the tips that I think are most important, are as follows:

-          Align your goals with the right platform: “Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, and understanding the platforms allows you to pick the right platform for a campaign…”

-          Ensure your own location is “check-in” worthy: Consider if you would check-in to your own location more than once. If not, find a way to fix it.

-          Create a budget for your campaign: A budget will help you track your progress and keep you focused.

-          Make sure your employees are ready: Make sure your employees know what the rules are and that everybody is on the same page.

-          Encourage employee participation: Find a way to encourage your employees, some of the best business ideas may come from them.

-          Create an ambassador program: Meet with your best customers regularly – specifically those who check-in – to find out what the best offers are that you could provide to your customers.

-          Learn from other businesses: It is always important to see what has and hasn’t worked for other businesses because it is likely that it will not work for you either.

Location based programs really do have a lot to offer. If you are using them for a business or campaign, these tips (and the other ones provided in the article) are important to keep in mind, as they can help you create the best campaign and business strategies possible.

For the full articles:

http://adage.com/article/special-report-digital-marketing-guide/digital-marketing-guide-check-ins/149103/

http://www.toprankblog.com/2011/09/location-based-marketing-tips/